Medicare change deadline looms

Seniors, if you aren’t happy with your Medicare Advantage HMO or PPO don’t wait until April 1 to change to another plan or the joke will be on you.

Open enrollment for Medicare health plans ends March 31. The Medicare Rights Center wants senior citizens to know that even if they’ve chosen one plan, they can still switch to another that might be a better fit. This Medicare comparison Web site can help figure out what plan could be best.

But beware of pressure to switch, the group warns.

“Don’t let a salesperson use the March 31 deadline to pressure you into signing up for a plan. Changing how you receive Medicare coverage can change which doctors you can see and how much you will have to pay for care,” said Paul Precht, director of policy and communications at the Medicare Rights Center. “Don’t sign up for coverage you don’t understand.”